2006 Macleay Museum Performance

Performance details

  • Time and date:
    11 am, 1 pm & 3 pm, 2 September 2006
  • Venue:
    Macleay Museum, University of Sydney
  • Director:
    Vi King Lim
  • Description:
    Performances at the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney in conjunction with an exhibition on the theme of water. Water in its various natural forms recurs constantly in Javanese culture as a metaphor for human emotion and Langen Suka will present a selection of pieces exploring this idea. It is said that listening to beautiful gamelan music or being absorbed by a performance of wayang kulit (shadow puppet theatre) induces the pleasurable feeling of kanyut, that is, letting oneself be carried away by a current of water. The significance of water in this image is reflected elsewhere in Javanese culture suggesting that water represents a metaphor for human emotion in the context of aesthetic enjoyment. A skilful dancer’s movements are described as having the quality of banyu mili (“flowing water”). The names of many gamelan pieces refer to water in a range of natural forms—rain, waves, pools, rivers—and even the musical texture of gamelan has been likened to an endlessly running stream.

Performers

Giles Gaskell, Prue Gibbs, Grace Hadiwijaya, Vi King Lim, Thomas Stewart, Danny Yee

Program

  1. Ladrang Tirtakencana, laras pelog pathet nem
  2. Gendhing Ranumenggala, laras pelog pathet nem
  3. Gendhing Randhukentir kethuk 2 kerep minggah Ladrang Ayun-Ayun, laras pelog pathet nem